The Village NEWS 17 July - 23 July by The Village NEWS

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The

17 July 2018

Cape Whale Coast

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Independent Newspaper of the Year

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, flanked by a bodyguard on her left and MPP Masizole Mnqasela on her right, visited Zwelihle with a delegation of non-partisan stakeholders on Friday afternoon and attempted to address the angry crowd gathered on the Mop hill. They were met with hostility and when the crown started pelting them with rocks, they had to be whisked away to safety by the SAPS. PHOTO: Anena Burger

‘Law and order will be restored’ n urgent need for decisive action to end the chaos was the unanimous decision reached by a multi-party stakeholder meeting on Sunday evening.

ment must be created for residents with specific information that can lead to the positive identification of suspects, and successful prosecution without fear of intimidation; no charges will be dropped against perpetrators of crime and those who commit crime must remain subjects of the criminal justice system.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) must be deployed in Zwelihle immediately; law and order must be restored in the suburb of Zwelihle by arresting the ringleaders fuelling the violence; a safe environ-

These were the four resolutions taken by the stakeholders on Sunday. The meeting, convened by Masizole Mnqasela, Member of the Provincial Parliament for the Overberg, was attended by Premier Helen Zille,

De Waal Steyn

work in defiance of the stay-away or refused to take part in the protests.

Western Cape Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Hendrik Burger, both ANC and DA councillors, religious leaders form all suburbs, business owners and concerned residents.

At one point the meeting was stopped in order for all attendees to hold hands and pray for strength.

While the plight of Zwelihle residents during the past week were relayed at the meeting, several attendees burst into tears and loud sobbing echoed through the hall. Horrific stories of suffering were told about residents whose houses were demolished and all their belongings burnt in the street after they went to

According to reports, two mothers gave birth to stillborn babes after they inhaled large amounts of teargas and were denied leave to go to hospital for treatment. Many residents, including expectant mothers, have also not been able to eat as they are not allowed to leave the township.

“What is happening in Zwelihle is not what Zwelihle is,” said ANC Chief Whip in the Council, Simphiwe Tebele. “That is not the way our people live and who they are. What is happening is barbaric because innocent people who simply want to live their lives are being forced by a small minority to do things that are counter to who and what they are. The so-called leadership that has taken over the suburb is nothing other than thugs and criminals.” Read more on P 4

17 July 2018

We’re simply the best A

newcomer has upset the competition by offering readers a wonderful read – and for free, nogal. It has a clean, consistent layout, a lively letters and opinions page, a comprehensive diary page and an impressive food, wine and arts supplement.” These were the comments from the judges before awarding The Village NEWS the title of Best Independent Commercial Newspaper in South Africa at the annual Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) Excellence Awards. The FCJ Excellence Awards is the only national competition for local newspapers. This year saw stiff competition between some 130 journalists and more than 80 local newspapers from all nine provinces who submitted entries. As a first-time entrant The Village NEWS was not only nominated as one of the finalists in all four categories it entered, but also brought home three more prizes. Our columnist, Murray Stewart, was awarded second place as Columnist of the Year, designer Nickey Jackson won second place for Front Page of the Year and editor Hedda Mittner also received a second prize for Best Headline of the Year.

Nickey Jackson (graphic designer), De Waal Steyn (publisher), Murray Stewart (column writer and deliveries) and Hedda Mittner (content editor) with the awards they received at the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) Excellence Awards. PHOTO: Pieter Delport

As part of our winter break, the team decided to take a road trip up to Centurion, where the awards ceremony took place on 29 June. With a brand-new Nissan Navara kindly sponsored by Wikus Niemand of Nissan Hermanus, we travelled in style and comfort, clocking over 3 000 km and having a whole lot of fun along the way. Driving back with all those awards in the back of the car was the cherry on the cake. “These awards mean the world to us as it recognises our commitment to producing a top-quality, informative and entertaining newspaper for our readers. The true value of being named as the best independent newspaper in the country is that it was awarded by a panel of highly experienced judges who compared us to our peers from all over South Africa,” says publisher De Waal Steyn. The panel of judges for this year’s competition was chaired by legendary South African journalist, editor, writer and former Executive Director of the South African Press Council and Press Ombudsman, Joe Thloloe together with former editor of Die Burger, Henry Jeffreys, former journalist and lecturer, Fanie Groenewald, senior journalism lecturer at the North West University, Dr Thalyta Swanepoel, wellknown journalist and bureau chief of The Citizen, Virginia Keppler and journalism lecturer at North West University, Cornia Pretorius. FCJ Executive Director, Marita Meyer says the

De Waal Steyn behind the wheel of the Nissan Navara sponsored by Nissan Hermanus for The Village NEWS team’s road trip to Pretoria for the FCJ awards ceremony. PHOTO: Hedda Mittner Excellence Awards is the only competition in the country where journalists and publications can measure their work against their peers from all media outlets, big or small, corporate owned or independent. “The general impression of the judges is that the local newspapers are still very much alive in South Africa. They are indeed serving their communities very well,” she says. The judging criteria for Best Newspaper included the total package: the content (news value of stories, language and style, readers’ input), typography/layout (including photographs, headlines and advertisements), printing and production as well as advertisements.

De Waal says the awards were just the ticket the team needed to tackle the second half of an already exciting year. “News-wise we have grown in our quest to become the number one source for news you can use on the Cape Whale Coast, while maintaining our vision of being a good news newspaper. “While The NEWS will be celebrating only its third birthday in September, the newspaper has already made its mark by not only winning these awards from the FCJ but also the Overstrand Mayoral Entrepreneurial Award in 2017 and earlier this year the Public Image Media Award from Rotary District 9350 that stretches from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and includes Namibia and Angola.

17 July 2018

Resolutions taken by stakeholders From P 1 Both ANC and DA councillors stood in unison for the restoration of peace and law and order. Several councillors have been threatened with being burnt alive should they return to their homes in Zwelihle. General Burger did not mince his words, declaring that the SAPS will not hesitate in using force to end the violence. “This is nothing short of anarchy and as soon as we have enough evidence against individuals we will go in and even if we have to go

door to door we will sniff them out and arrest them. And we will use force,” he said. Burger added that the SAPS will under no circumstances allow that the rule of law be broken. “People who live in the same community often see each other as brothers and sisters. But if you break the law you are no longer my brother, you are a criminal and will be treated as such.” Attendees at the meeting voted on whether Gcobani Ndzongana, the

leader of Zwelihle Renewal who was arrested last week on charges of, among others, intimidation and destruction of property, should be released. All the attendees were in favour of not withdrawing the charges against him, with only four people abstaining and no one voting in favour of his release. In a statement on Sunday evening Premier Helen Zille said she is appalled by the first-hand accounts from residents of Zwelihle about the extent of the violence and intimidation they face. “Apart from public facilities

(the destruction of the library and swimming pool complex) private houses have been burnt. People who went to work had their clothing and furniture removed from their houses and burnt in the street. And most gruesomely, some pets have suffered the same fate. “While the police have contained the situation, it is impossible to prevent random roaming groups of thugs from causing this mayhem. There are now threats to burn the clinic and the school. All political parties and civil society stakeholders, from the

Timeline of events

he protests, as well as the actions of protesters, the Municipality and the Police have been the subject of heated debate. The possible causes of the current unrest are as follows:

Monday 9 July: Zwelihle Library On Monday night, 9 July, Overstrand Fire Brigade received a call that the Zwelihle Library had been set on fire. The cause of, or motive for the fire has not yet been determined.

Saturday 7 July: Schulphoek Road Fence The Schulphoek Road fence was removed by the Zwelihle Renewal (ZR) and members of the community late on Saturday late afternoon, 7 July. A charge of malicious damage to property was laid and a number of arrests were made on Wednesday, 11 July, including ZR leader, Gcobani Ndzongana.

The Zwelihle Library had been vandalised inside during the previous riots in March and was partially barricaded in anticipation of an insurance pay-out so that the building could be restored. Firefighting crews did not experience any aggression from the public on arrival and most of the community members looked on in disbelief.

Among the reasons the Ward 12 Committee in Zwelihle were in favour of the fence are the following: to stop illegal dumping of rubbish on the open area; to prevent incidents of assault and molestation; to ensure the safety of children from the traffic on Schulphoek Road; and to create a green belt for recreation and leisure for the Zwelihle community, especially the children. Funding for the fence, which stretches from Mbeki Street to the last entrance into Zwelihle at Zwelihle Primary in Sisulu Street, was approved by Council during the mid-term budget review in February 2018. The cost of the fence was R387 197,29 (excl VAT). The fence is currently in storage and there might be some panels that can still be used, but the poles were bent and the fence is no longer under guarantee.

The library has been completely gutted and the site offices of the building contractor at the Qhayiya Secondary School sustained heat damage, but fortunately no physical damage was found inside.

churches to the business leaders, speak with one voice in condemning these dreadful acts of violence, which are rooted in internal political contestation within Zwelihle. “Thugs are now moving from house to house extorting money for legal fees from residents. Sadly, the trauma seems set to continue. It always amazes me how much mayhem a small band of thugs can wreak on a community,” said Zille. “There is so much trauma, I am shaken to the core. Let's hope sanity prevails.” PHOTO: Anena Burger

SAPS be unbiased when ZR leaders are arrested, and that National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele address them.

decided to address the Zwelihle residents on the following day, despite the safety risks involved, especially for the local councillors.

Nosilela informed the crowd that Minister Cele was out of the country and that they are welcome to file complaints against Hermanus SAPS with the Independent Police Investigation Directorate or the Police Ombudsman. He also refused to allow the release of Ndzongana.

Friday 13 July On Friday afternoon a delegation led by Premier Helen Zille, Member of Parliament, Masizole Mnqasela, and ANC and DA councillors were pelted with rocks when they entered Zwelihle and attempted to address the crowd. Both the SAPS and Zille’s security team advised the delegation several times not to enter the township as their safety could not be guaranteed. In the end they had to be whisked away as a menacing crowd started running towards them armed with rocks and clubs.

Tuesday 10 July: Protest Action On Tuesday, 10 July, community members of Zwelihle held a meeting at the soccer field and decided to march to the Police Station to hand over a petition, demanding that all charges against one of the Zwelihle Renewal leaders, Gcobani Ndzongana, be dropped. The Hermanus SAPS Station Commander, Colonel Luthando Nosilela met the crowd in Zwelihle and received the memorandum.

Wednesday 11 July Since Tuesday Zwelihle has been under siege with residents not allowed to go to work and the SAPS, together with local law enforcement agencies, containing much of the violence in the suburb.

According to the petition the community wanted all charges against Ndzongana to be dropped, that the

Thursday 12 July At a non-partisan stakeholders meeting at the Municipality at 14:00 it was

Weekend 14 - 15 July During the course of the weekend several attempts were made to burn down Mt Pleasant Primary as well as

the Waldorf School. The crowd also threatened to burn down the clinic in Swartdam Road. During the weekend at least four petrol bombs were thrown over the wall of the Mariner’s Village Estate situated next to Zwelihle. Fortunately, none of these bombs were effective and did not cause any damage. Several cars have been stoned and businesses in Swartdam Road damaged. Serious damage has also been done to especially road infrastructure due to fires. Reports from residents indicate that they were prevented from leaving the township. Self-appointed guards patrolled all exits to the suburb and residents were forced to sign in and out should they wish to go to the shops. If they did not return within a certain time their houses were demolished and their belongings burnt.

17 July 2018

Zwelihle riots: who says what Zwelihle Renewal says: In an interview on Sunday night with Sicelo Gxamesi, one of the Zwelihle Renewal leaders, he indicated that they are resolute to fight, until the bitter end, what they believe is a great injustice against the residents of this suburb. “We are the leaders and we are in control of the crowd. Our demand is simple: release Gcobani Ndzongana and withdraw the cases against him and we will stop the fighting. Residents need to know that the people are angry because their leader is being detained. They want him to be released so that all parties can return to the negotiation table to address the real issues of land and housing,” he said. On the question on what can be done to resolve the crisis, he said that the leadership is willing to negotiate but that it can happen only on the condition that Ndzongana be released and all charges dropped. “What kind of leaders are the politicians when they are unwilling to listen to the demands of the citizens? Why have they not yet contacted the Concerned Community Forum (CCF) [a civil society organisation representing several businesses in town] to ask them to drop the charges? That is not leadership, that is cowardice.” According to Gxamesi they are concerned about the economic impact on the region and on businesses. “We know that businesses are suffering, but so are our people. They are losing their jobs and they have no money to feed their families with. This cannot be allowed to continue, and we ask that our demands are met as soon as possible. It is such a minor thing that can lead to such a big thing.” He said that although rumours have been doing the rounds that Overstrand Councillors are not welcome in Zwelihle and that they will be burnt alive, Zwelihle Renewal would like to see the councillors return to lead the people. “The problem with them is, however, that they like to attend parties and dress like they live in New York rather than work for their communities.” Councillors say: “We have been banned from operating in our elected constituencies for the last few months and that is exactly what Zwelihle Renewal wants. They want us to be out of sight and out of mind so that they can take over power by saying to the people that we are not doing our jobs,” says Simphiwe Tebele, Chief Whip of the ANC in the Overstrand. According to him his elderly mother, who is

MPP Masizole Mnqasela and Premier Helen Zille led the delegation of non-partisan stakeholders when they entered Zwelihle on Friday afternoon to address the crowd and call for an end to the voilence. PHOTO: Anena Burger bedridden in her house in Zwelihle, called him during the weekend to ask that the SANDF be sent in to restore law and order. “We are the true residents of Zwelihle. We who were born here and work and live here, and we can no longer tolerate self-appointed leaders who tear our community apart. “In the days of apartheid, the army came in and they moered us. Now we are asking them to come in and moer the hooligans who are running amok. We cannot allow this to continue any longer. Our people are tired. They want to work. They want to feed their families. They just want to be normal people.” DA Councillor Lindile Ntsabo said that although he has been threatened with being burnt he will not turn his back on the community. “I am willing to place my life in danger because I want a free and fair environment for our people to work and live in. You can ask any Councillor under how much stress they are, but they are all still willing to do their duty. We were elected to work for the people and that is what we will do.” ANC Councillor Valerie Pungupungu made an impassionate and tearful plea for the violence in Zwelihle to be halted at all cost. “The people who are running the show at the moment are not our brothers and sisters. I do not even want to hear about them, they are criminals and thugs and they must be removed from our society. For the sake of

each and everyone of us living here, we need to get rid of them.” Businesses say: According to a statement, the Hermanus Business Chamber takes note, with concern, of Zwelihle residents being prevented from going to work and the effects this has on all employees and businesses in the region. “The Chamber calls on the Zwelihle leadership to immediately call off the strike and allow residents to return to work. The economic sabotage of a whole town following due process being followed by the SAPS cannot be condoned. The economic impact suffered by businesses in Hermanus due to unrest cannot be allowed to continue any longer. Although the Chamber fully endorses all workers’ rights to strike, it should be a voluntary action and not due to intimidation. “We also urge our members, if possible, to keep the doors of their businesses open as this is of benefit to our community. We would also like to assure tourists that Hermanus is still open for business and a safe destination to travel to. The Chamber is working with various groups to assist in building a data-base of individuals willing to work on short notice as stand-in staff in most fields. To help us better understand your needs we are conducting a needs analysis. We would greatly appreciate it if you send us the relevant information to hermanusbusinesschamber@gmail.com.

17 July 2018

Let’s Talk

THE

NEWS

Hermanus in crisis: there is a way forward

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Recent events in Hermanus have confronted the town with one of the biggest challenges in its history. Many will argue that the town’s sustainable future is at stake. The crisis is one of immense complexity, but let me begin by saying that if the grass is dry, anyone can throw a match and it will burn. So what are the reasons behind the crisis? To say that there are indeed many, is probably stating the obvious. Some of the reasons were created at a national level and some at a local level.

Graça Machel – widow of an icon The celebration of Madiba’s birth 100 years ago and his remarkable journey should not overshadow the sadness of his death to the loved ones he left behind.

These include poverty and hopelessness, unemployment and an unsustainable housing policy. The remarks of political leaders, criminality, personal agendas and children growing up without discipline and parents. The lack of civic education, the lack of proper communication, the deterioration of social capital, the absence of cohesive, wise and strong leadership in communities and the legacy of a history of divided communities, are a few of these reasons.

“She makes me bloom like a flower,” Madiba said of his soulmate Graça. “I cannot describe my joy and happiness, to receive the love and warmth of such a humble but gracious and brilliant lady.” What a wonderful way to express his attainment of peace at last. “I learned to separate the man from the myth,” revealed this worldlywise matriarch and wife to two presidents. Barely in her seventies, she harbours an archive of memories from the tragic and traumatic, to the loving and nurturing – a rollercoaster of extreme circumstances and emotions few people will experience. After his release in 1990, Madiba met Samora Machel’s widow briefly in Mozambique when she was the Minister of Education and Culture, and again two years later at her Honorary Doctorate ceremony at

UCT. Sparks started flying. A few years later, after divorcing his second wife Winnie in 1996, they began ‘courting’ openly, and in 1998 he tied the knot for the third time. It stayed lovingly tied through his 15 sunset years. So while we commemorate the magic of Madiba’s legacy, spare a thought for all those who have lost

their husbands, and especially the gracious widow of one of the world’s most famous icons, who celebrated that magic first hand, close-up and personal. Long may she relax in peace and reminisce fondly. Rachel Black Gansbaai

So where do we go from here? What we have seen over the last few months was the establishment of a number of concerned civic groups (both formal and informal) who are all trying to find a solution to the problem. Unfortunately we

www.yr.no

I believe that the majority of people in Hermanus do not want what we are seeing at the moment. The challenge will be to find a way forward that will simultaneously take care of the needy and the hopelessness while dealing in a tough and disciplined manner with criminal and anarchist elements who are fuelling their own agenda. We need, in the words of Jim Collins, level 5 leadership that can be modest and caring, but also strong and resolute. Each formal entity that forms part of a successful community, e.g. local government, law enforcement agencies, the religious community, business and even provincial government, can and must play their role. Politicians, however, must understand that their most important responsibility is to serve and enable civil society. Don’t try and “run” the community. Serve them and empower the real leadership. Before 1994 civil society was organised in a much better and stronger way than now. We will have to restore that.

But maybe the biggest reason at the moment is the lack of a local “peace accord” that is supported by the majority of the Hermanus community and which would enable law enforcement to maintain law and order within an agreed and just framework.

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do not see enough synergy among these efforts. I think that we desperately need an inclusive civic forum representing as many as possible of these groups to work on a sustainable solution and accord for Hermanus.

My simple plea is this: Let’s get the right people around the table, formulate a value-driven strategy and take it to the community. If it makes sense, the community at large will buy into it. Let us work with the local authorities to restore law and order. Enough is indeed enough. Dr Braam Hanekom

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17 July 2018

Traffic chief and officers commended for swift assistance On 25 May my husband suffered a stroke in the parking lot of a wine farm in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. With the help of two parking attendants we put him on the backseat of our bakkie and I sped like a bat out of hell, down the valley road towards Hermanus, with my hazards on, bright lights and thumb on the hooter. Unfortunately the traffic was backed up many kilometres from the intersection at the R47 and I felt forced to drive in the right hand lane, praying that I would not encounter oncoming traffic – not a single car came towards me. But I was very soon being followed by a traffic control vehicle which forced me to move over and then stopped me. A traffic officer jumped out of the vehicle, ordered me into my passenger seat – my son had encountered this vehicle beyond where I had embarked on my horrific journey on the right hand side of the road – and set off behind the traffic control vehicle as it sped off in the direction of the Provincial Hospital, negotiating a snarl-up at the intersection caused by Friday 5.30 traffic with all the re-routed traffic

from Karwyderskraal Road. It was like being in a TV movie with everyone pulling over, making space for us to pass, then hurtling down the R43, weaving through very dense traffic to arrive at the hospital in 10 minutes. Mrs C Fransman drove the traffic control vehicle and Mrs N Kedama drove my vehicle, without hesitating or delaying to ask questions. Their driving skills were superb. They never once questioned whether they should be helping me; they did what they had to do. They are to be commended for doing a superb job. I salute both Mrs Kedama and Mrs Fransman, and thank them sincerely for the manner in which they alleviated my dire and stressful situation, taking command in getting me to the hospital. Mr Fraser, you too are to be commended on the manner in which your staff have been trained to be of service to the public in the Overstrand.

THE

NEWS

OPINION Matters

Action is now needed to restore human rights “War does not determine who is right and who is wrong. War determines who is left.” With the chaos in Hermanus, these words of Bertrand Russel ring true in every sense. The events that have unfolded over the past week leave one with a sense of utter disbelief. It is inconceivable that our once tranquil and peaceful town has erupted in violence and human suffering. The situation is so dire that is has become an issue of survival. Survival for those in Zwelihle who are prevented from going to work, hospital, church or even the shops. Survival for the elderly and the children who are caught up in a situation they have no control over. And survival for the businesses that keep our economy running. The questions of what is happening in Zwelihle, why it is happening and what can be done to stop it have been on every resident’s lips. Social media has been buzzing with posts, comments, videos and pictures of the unfolding drama on our doorstep. There seems to be no other way than forceful action to halt the unrest. Whether this is done by the SAPS or SANDF is neither here nor there. The need for action and the restoration of law and order is the most pressing issue. We do, however, need to realise that the wounds of the past week will take years to heal. A whole community has been traumatised and the resultant distrust and pain will need to be addressed by the community as a whole. The negative impact of the unrest on our economy and our reputation as a desirable destination will also have long-term consequences and present many challenges to overcome. For now, we can no longer avoid choosing sides. The choice is between restoring the rule of law and basic human rights or enduring the lawlessness and anarchy perpetrated by a handful of people. In the end the choice is easy.

Mariette Pitlo

Sadly, as we all know, this utopian comfort is short-lived. Pretty soon, out we pop, our comfort-bag is slashed open, and we get slapped around till we yell blue murder. This apparently makes everyone in the hospital/stable delighted because we’ve achieved the first step in meaningful communication – audio contact. Vocal communication goes back to before they invented caves and fire. Our ancestors would grunt, hiss, aargh, or perhaps even moo and bleat at each other to convey a particular opinion. Pretty soon vowels and consonants segued into understandable phrases which made sense of the aarghing and mooing. Bleating though, was regarded as a bit camp, and these days is only heard with any sincerity in New Zealand. Anyway, soon after our talking stage came reading and writing, and a few years later, love-letters would flourish and fly as Cupid’s puppy-love arrows found their desired targets. The cherished art of writing a loveletter in longhand, stamping it, post-

A Far Kraai Murray Stewart thevillagemuze@gmail.com

ing it, and waiting for days – nervous and love-sick for the reply – is now replaced by jabbing at the impersonal plastic letters on your laptop, or worse, thumbing the tiny alphabet on your phone. And the replies are instant. This type of messaging sadly removes some of the romance and emotion you’d normally like to convey… Ben: “Yo. U @ crib?” (Hello my sweetheart. Are you by any chance going to be at home tonight?) Sue: “?” (Why? What did you have in mind?) Ben: “Hang. Fresh beats. Fool around. Chow.” (I thought it would be great to relax, have a quiet evening... I’ve just got the new Guns ’n Roses album and maybe we can continue… um… where we left off last night – nudge-nudge. I’ll bring pizzas.) Sue: “฀. Ø. cuL8r. OXOX.” (Sounds great. No rumpy-pumpy though. Pop in around eight. Hugs and kisses.)

Who said romance was dead? Sadly, the convenience of social media has created a generation of thumb gymnasts, but gladly it has also opened up avenues of research and entertainment we older folk never had. So by incorporating a ‘social media’ channel of entertainment into the mix, we’ll be adding an audio-visual element to our normal column, which you will notice has evolved from ‘Wit’s End’ into ‘A Far Kraai’. The Wit’s End articles – about fifty or so – are being published soon as a book, so it was time to turn the page and let the moving finger, having writ, move on. Staff and elves at The Duck ’n Fiddle’s Explanation of Everything archives are absolutely thrilled that nothing except the name has changed, and have already pre-ordered the book – bless them. Anyway, from next week onwards, A Far Kraai will carry a segment every now and then on amazing performances accessible via YouTube. And for those wary of or unfamiliar with

6 Royal Street, Hermanus

028 312 2234

Publishing Editor De Waal Steyn 083 700 3319 dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Content Editor Hedda Mittner 083 645 3928 hedda@thevillagenews.co.za

Design and Layout Nickey Jackson 079 408 7722 nickey@thevillagenews.co.za

Office Administrator Tania Hamman admin@thevillagenews.co.za

This is the good NEWS – Ed

Communication: from heartbeats to thumb hockey Our very first concept of communication happens before we are even aware of it. The gentle doef-doef of Mom’s heartbeat pumps through us, and her rhythm of life is our first subliminal signal of a connection with another living entity.

The Team

YouTube – fear not! Even I can do it. It’s a free window to view almost anything – without involved web addresses – in just two steps.

Marketing Manager Kathy Bentley 083 581 7219 kathy@thevillagenews.co.za

Marketing Representative Laetitia Prinsloo 082 738 3765 ads@thevillagenews.co.za

1. In Google search, just type ‘YouTube’. 2. Once there, then type the artist/act you want in the ‘search’ window. Bingo! Up pops your favourite – Heave Stofmeyer – and all his songs are listed so you can make an evening of it. Simple nè? Downloading a clip for yourself obviously requires the normal credit card info, but multiple viewings are free. Radio personalities Mik Long and Pieter van Aswegen have already sent through some amazing audiovisual clips well worth sharing. They’re usually musical masterpieces – no slapstick reality bloopers or kids’ pranks. Only memorable experiences, like 100 000 voices in Wembley Stadium singing every word of Bohemian Rhapsody in perfect sync, guitar solos and all. Or a 12-year-old who can out-Jop Janis Joplin, or the Dark Side of the Moon in reggae. These types of gems will pop up from time to time in A Far Kraai. We’re also working on a ‘scratch ’n sniff page for restaurants. Gotta go now – but till next week, welcome to A Far Kraai.

Journalist Elaine Davie 084 343 7500

Photography & Social Media Taylum Meyer 084 564 0779 taylum@thevillagenews.co.za

WHERE TO FIND US The Village NEWS is published every week and the next edition will be available on 24 July. The NEWS can be found at over 300 distribution points on the Cape Whale Coast, from Pringle Bay to Gansbaai. Get your FREE copy from major retail stores such as Spar, Checkers and Pick n Pay, and at restaurants, tasting rooms, galleries and shopping centres. Should you wish to receive a copy, call us on 028 312 2234 or 083 228 7523 or pop into our office at 6 Royal Street, Hermanus.

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17 July 2018

Microfinance initiative makes progress The Overstrand Microfinance Initiative, which was announced in a previous edition of The Village NEWS, held a follow-up meeting in the boardroom of FinGlobal on Tuesday 10 July. A document outlining the aims and operating principles of the Microfinance Initiative was tabled and discussed, and it was agreed that the mission statement would be: Providing access to financial opportunities that will empower people in poverty to transform their lives, their families and their communities. A volunteer committee was appoint-

ed to investigate the logistics of creating a crowd-funding portal for the purpose of raising financial support, primarily from the local Overstrand community. These funds would be applied by way of small, low-interest loans to emerging entrepreneurs in poor communities to enable them to grow their businesses. In addition, provision would be made to enable the very poor, particularly marginalised women in these communities, to access funding for start-up microenterprises. The Initiative would work closely with other organisa-

tions in the region which currently identify, train and mentor emerging entrepreneurs. The committee undertook to investigate the practical aspects of implementing this vision in a manner that would ensure it was a truly community-building and empowering initiative. They would report back on progress at the next meeting. Interested members of the public are invited to attend this meeting, or to contact Sisonke Gxamesi at sisonke.gxamesi@finglobal.com Dr Phillip G Parsons, Onrus

World-class holiday in the hills For our 40th wedding anniversary, my husband booked us a couple of nights at the Caledon Hotel & Spa, and I’m embarrassed to say that apart from functions and concerts, we’d never really stayed over and enjoyed the experience. It was like being on holiday in Mauritius (without the French). The landscaping and maintenance of the terraced gardens is world-class and at night they light up into a magical wonderland. Perfect for romantic sundowners or a quiet

stroll through this Garden of Eden. My husband fancies himself as a bit of a gambler, so while he dobbeled I took off to the Spa in trepidation. Cramming ourselves into a bathing suit is daunting enough to some of us in our sixties, but nobody gives a hoot because all shapes and sizes come to relax and rejuvenate. A group of gals from a nearby bowling club often visit the hot springs and massage facilities as an escape valve from golfing hubbies.

The entire complex seems to operate smoothly, and the catering, service and entertainment were ‘top drawer’ throughout the weekend – well worth every cent. Talking of cents, my chuffed husband claimed he had a good fling in the casino. Only lost R200. Looking forward to returning – maybe drag him to pools next time. Ray Swart

Utilising containers for low-cost housing a ‘sound idea’ With regards to the letter on lowcost housing published in the 26 June issue of The Village NEWS: it was excellent and identified the real problem and the facts. Most politicians / councillors get caught up in the moment and they become reactive rather than proactive. The author’s points 1 - 6 are spot on in trying to identify the rightful residents of Zwelihile. It is pointless to give land with an open mandate to build what they want – it will only generate a second Zwelihile. The idea of utilising containers is a sound one as the construction industry has been using them for many years; they are strong, rainproof and in most cases fireproof. The idea of land lease is great, and with proper education and training the occupants can take

care of their own environment and be proud of their new living accommodation. This might be a very optimistic view but without hope and belief we are lost to the political powers, not only locally but worldwide; they seem to be making some horribly wrong decisions, based on POWER and MONEY – the main cause of a lot of problems. Yesterday, on 13 July, I witnessed some horrible sights during the unrest which alarmed me – maybe a reality check! Are our residents ready for such a change, or are they happy to move onto land and live in shacks the rest of their lives? There is definitely a sector (third force with their own agenda) that wants the discussions between the municipality and residents to fail. Irene and Hector Ritchie

Send your letters to dewaal@thevillagenews.co.za

Village

EXPLORER The

COMMUNITY • FOOD • HISTORY • NATURE

Give your 67 minutes for Madiba M

andela Day is a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, the ability to make an impact. The Mandela Day campaign message is: "Nelson Mandela has fought for social justice for 67 years. We're asking you to start with 67 minutes."

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For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. – Nelson Mandela

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On 18 July former President Nelson Mandela would have celebrated his 100th birthday and here in the Overstrand the centenary celebrations in honour of South Africa’s most legendary and iconic leader will include several opportunities for residents to give back to the community by dedicating 67 minutes of selfless service. In these troubling times it is more important than ever that we stand together and work together towards a better future for the whole of the Overstrand. Everyone, young and old, can participate by choosing just one of the many initiatives taking place on 18 July. Knitting for Madiba Day: The Overstrand Municipality is calling upon residents, businesses and organisations to keep our communities warm this winter, especially those in underprivileged areas. Mandela had a big heart for children and everyone is encouraged to donate beanies, scarves, socks and jerseys for children, especially from the ages 1 – 6 years. Blankets, towels, care packages and warm clothing for all ages are also welcome. Donations can be dropped off at the Mayor’s office at the Overstrand Municipality in Magnolia Street or at any of the area managers’ offices in Stanford, Gansbaai and Kleinmond. Care packages for the frail: The very young and the very old are the most

vulnerable members of society. Make a difference by donating care packages to the Hermanus Hospital for new mothers who can’t afford the clothing and supplies needed to take care of a new-born baby. You could also donate care packages for the elderly; items that are sorely needed include toiletries and adult nappies. Drop them off at Huis Lettie Theron and Sofca Frail Care Centre on the corner of De Goede Street and Hospital Road. Zwelihle Youth Café: Support William and Fiki in making a difference in the lives of the youth of Zwelihle whose world has been turned upside down by the recent unrest. Gumboots, overalls and helping hands are welcome as they beautify the Youth Café’s new premises at the RDP Centre. DIY enthusiasts and green fingers are needed to paint the walls, upgrade the buildings and establish an organic vegetable garden. Any donations of paint, wooden planks, seeds, compost etc. will be most appreciated. You are

also welcome to bring some warm soup or food to help feed all the volunteers. Call William and Fiki on 076 969 5830 for more information and to confirm that the area is safe on Wednesday. At the Zwelihle Youth Café, RDP Centre on the corner of Mbeki and Zuma Streets, Zwelihle, from 09:00. Willem Appel Dam Cleanup: If you are still wondering how to spend a fruitful 67 minutes of your time on Mandela Day, you can join Sheraine van Wyk of Whale Coast Conservation in cleaning up around the Willem Appel Dam. This is part of the WCC Mill Stream Improvement Project supported by the community of Stanford, scientists and the municipality. For more information, you can contact Sheraine on 083 484 0202. Bring your own garden gloves and meet at the Ou Krale carpark near Stanford at 10:00. Gansbaai Tourism celebrates Mandela Day: Spend your 67 minutes

for Mandela at the Birkenhead Animal Rescue Centre (BARC) walking or playing with the homeless dogs and cats. You are welcome to bring along blankets, towels, pet food and toys for the animals. You can also donate soup or any warm food for Gansbaai Tourism to feed hungry tummies or support their Our Youth, Our Future project by donating non-perishable goods, warm clothing, blankets, stationery and toys for those less fortunate. For more information, call Doulene Els on 082 841 1670. At Gansbaai Tourism office, from 10:00. Grotto Beach Cleanup: Join “Beach Sheriff” Antonio da Silva-Swart and Checkers Hermanus staff on Nelson Mandela Day and give 67 minutes of your precious time to help pick up plastic waste. This cleanup forms part of Shoprite Checkers’ CleanupAfrica event to be rolled out in eight countries in Africa, with more than 3 800 volunteers taking part in cleanups. Plastic Patrol Hermanus will also be

launched on Mandela Day; watch out for the rubberducks at Grotto Beach as they come to collect the debris that has been collected. Meet at Grotto Beach, at 11:00. Nelson Mandela Art Exhibition: Sumaridge Estate Wines in Hemel-enAarde Valley is proud to present a private viewing of Mandela’s art and some of the iconic photographs taken of him by his close friend, Jurgen Schadeberg, all on loan from a private collection. As always with events hosted by Sumaridge, you will be well fed and watered. A minimum donation of R100 is required in order to cover an area of 8 x 7 feet, the exact size of Mandela’s Robben Island jail cell, with bank notes. All guests can choose which of the following four local charities they wish to benefit from their donations: Hermanus Animal Welfare, SANTA, Hemel-en-Aarde Community Project or the Blackbirds Rugby Club. For further details or to RSVP, contact 028 312 1097 ext 1 or lorraine@sumaridge.co.za. At Sumaridge, from 18:00 – 20:00.

17 July 2018

Let’s keep the whales coming back Southern Right Whales entered Walker Bay millennia before the bay was named and Europeans came to settle where Westcliff is now. The whales came to give birth to calves and take care of them until they were developed enough to make the long journey back to the Antarctic. There was no one to witness this and by the time residents of Hermanus began to notice them, Southern Right whales were being hunted and killed on a huge scale, writes DR ROBIN LEE of the Hermanus History Society.

uman beings have hunted whales from the earliest days. Woodcuts and scrimshaw (carving on a whale tooth) from the Middle Ages show whales being harpooned. But the impact on whale numbers was negligible until several technologies were in place. The harpoon became effective once it was made of metal, rather than wood. The increasing size of ships allowed them to follow a wounded whale until it died and could be brought on board.

spent a lot of time near Fick’s Pool and the little cottage on the cliff nearby was named the Wendy House. It is a possibility that she was not the same whale every year, as no method of identification of whales was available. Even now, it requires close-up images and working out the number and placing of ‘callosities’ (those white growths on the whale’s head), to tell one individual from another. Conservation of whales has handed a gift to Hermanus. In the 30 years since whales started appearing in numbers, Hermanus has developed from a nice quiet place for a restful holiday to ‘the land-based whale-watching capital of the world’.

In the late 19th century these advances were followed by even more devastating weapons. The harpoon was no longer thrown by one person, but could be propelled by explosives.

In recent years, the coastline of the Overstrand Municipality has become closely linked with whales. The ‘Cape Whale Coast’ logo appears on virtually every website for tourists from Pringle Bay to Danger Point and beyond.

In the 20th century still more sophisticated methods became available. An explosive device (i.e. a bomb) was attached to the harpoon and exploded when the harpoon had penetrated a metre into the whale. Death was instantaneous – or so it was thought until proper research showed that on average whales lived in agony for six minutes after the explosion and one they recorded lived for 56 minutes.

Sea-based animals about which the average Hermanus resident knows very little, are now the single largest tourist attraction and account for much of the tourist income on which the town depends. Whales – and, especially, Southern Right whales – are now generally respected as a type of ‘gentle giant’ in nature and as a species that came back from near extinction by human beings. Their numbers along our coast are growing at 7% to 8% per annum, which is as rapidly as is consistent with the female’s gestation period.

Hermanus has never been in the whaling business. This was mainly due to the fact that stocks of fish were so vast that fishermen could make a living safe from the dangers of whaling. Also, the Old Harbour (known then as Visbaai) was inadequate for the size of boats suitable for whaling. There was a whaling station at Stony Point in Betty’s Bay in the early 20th century, but after investors went to a lot of trouble to build it, it operated for only a few years. Nevertheless, 300 whales were killed. Whalers did operate from Gansbaai, but they went south into the deep ocean in pursuit of their prey.

Let’s not spoil the whale gift. Hermanus does not have a good record for marine conservation. We fished out Walker Bay and we harvested most of the millions of natural abalone, while leaving the rest to poachers. Neither fish nor abalone will ever return in their former abundance.

Whales were hunted because virtually every part could be used. The oil was most important. It provided light and heating in millions of homes before petroleum and electricity came along. The baleen was used to make a wide variety of carved objects, such as snuff boxes. Thinner bones were used in producing women’s corsets, an obligatory item of clothing throughout the 19th century.

In 1912, the owner of the farm Waaygat at a little known locality called Stony Point, leased 30 morgen (60 hectares) to Captain Frank Cook of Cape Town for three years to conduct a fishing and whaling operation. Whaling with all its profit and all its horror had come to the Overstrand.

Three million whales were killed before the International Whaling Commission was created in the 1940s, to regulate affairs. Of these, two million were Southern Right whales. For long periods in the 20th century no whales were seen in Walker Bay, because they simply no longer existed.

Cook formed a company called The Southern Cross Whaling Company Ltd. and imported an experienced Norwegian whaler, a Mr Johannsson, who married a local girl. By 1913 two steamships operating as whalers were at work. These were the Blink and the Southern Cross. Between them they killed 179 whales in the seas off Cape Hangklip in 1913. All were processed at the whaling station.

So, it was quite a sensation when one female appeared off Hermanus for several consecutive years in the 1950s. The locals named her Wendy. She

When the Southern Cross Company went into liquidation in 1915, for reasons unknown, the Durban-based company, The Shepstone Whaling and Fishing Company, acquired the operation and

Stony Point Whaling Station continued whaling, with about 300 whales killed each year between 1916 and 1920. By 1917 the number of employees had increased to 220 and six steamers were at sea. In 1935 the Walsh family terminated the lease at Hangklip and sold all their property holdings in the area to the Hangklip Syndicate Ltd. for the purpose of township development. The new township was named Betty’s Bay. The buildings at the whaling station were simply allowed to decay, and, while some, such as the oil tanks, have disappeared, other buildings, including the Manager’s house, still remain. The site at Stony Point has recently been upgraded because of its historical significance and informative signage erected by CapeNature. It is well worth a visit, and is immediately adjacent to the growing penguin colony at Stony Point.

While we enjoy the presence of the whales we must avoid placing excessive stresses on them or allowing the essential sense of place of Hermanus to disappear in (over-) development for its own sake. Sure, encourage people to come as tourists to see the whales and if they find they would like to live here, well and good. But if they demolish an authentic fisherman’s cottage (with Municipal approval) and build a modernistic house for themselves, we start to lose the real spirit of our town.

The author welcomes any comments or additional information. He can be contacted at robinlee@hermanus.co.za

17 July 2018

New Rotary President embodies ‘Service above Self’ new job opportunities, but not enough business know-how to turn them into viable business propositions, she believes. “On the other hand, some of our local business people have many years of experience that I’m sure they would be willing to share. The trick will be to put them in touch with one another and facilitate partnerships.”

Elaine Davie

n 1961, during his presidential inauguration speech, John F Kennedy coined the epithet Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country. This year, in his New Dawn speech, President Cyril Ramaphosa, quoting Hugh Masekela, challenged South Africans to Thuma Mina (Send me). Both were calls to service, to the selfless building of inclusive new societies.

The Hermanus Rotary Club has been in existence for 70 years and Ann is of the opinion that it has never had a more important role to play than it has now, in the midst of the social turmoil currently sweeping through the area. She underlines the fact that Rotary is not a political organisation, but believes its members have an important role to play in creating better understanding between the various groups and as mediators and peace-makers.

On the occasion of her induction as only the second lady president of Rotary Hermanus on Friday 29 June, Ann Wright flung down the gauntlet: “Will we put service above self and get the job done? What will you do?” As a Hermanus resident for only the past four years, she has shown her total commitment to the welfare of the people of her adopted community by throwing herself body and soul into its growth and development. As she points out: “Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm and passion and I have plenty of those.”

Former Rotary President Ian Wallace pins a presidential badge on to Ann Wright’s Rotary ribbon at her induction dinner at Burgundy Restaurant on 29 June. PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer

Rotary International’s theme for this year is ‘Be the Inspiration’ and that is a sentiment with which Ann strongly identifies. When she retired from her job as Marketing Manager for St Andrews School for Girls in Johannesburg, she knew she wanted to get involved in hands-on community work, in helping to address some of the ills of society which were having such an adverse effect on the lives of so many, especially in our more underprivileged communities. Be careful what you wish for, goes the old Chinese adage. Not someone to let the grass grow under her feet, she had hardly settled into her new home, than she started actively exploring ways to get involved. And within a very short time, she was up to her neck in one of the biggest problems to beset our society: youth drug addiction. Appointed as Programme Manager for the new Clive Prins Youth Substance Intervention Programme under the auspices of the Sustainable Futures Trust, she was shocked to discover how prevalent substance abuse, often linked to gangsterism, was amongst youngsters, even at primary school level, in Hawston, Mount Pleasant and Zwelihle. Using the Matrix model which was developed in America, the project is run at primary schools in each of those communities. Despite the widespread nature of the problem and the poverty which fuels it, Ann is certain it can be fixed, but it will need the commitment of all those concerned, including parents, siblings, teachers and, of course, the young abusers themselves. Her tremendous efforts and dedication have already earned her the ‘Woman of the Year’ award at the

With only 23 members, most of whom are no longer in the full bloom of youth, she intends to work hard to increase the club membership, as well as its diversity of age, gender, professional background and demographics. Both Hermanus High School and Curro Hermanus have very enthusiastic Interact Clubs and she would like to encourage more input from Rotary members. “We are very fortunate to have this wonderful network of Rotary Clubs around the world,” she points out, “and they are very keen to get involved in supporting educational initiatives in Africa and other developing countries. For example, the Rotary Club in Stuttgart is presently sponsoring a pupil at Hermanus High. This is an incredible resource and we should be tapping into it far more than we already have.”

Ann Wright (seated) with her proud family, (from left) daughter Emma Wright , husband Dave Wright and future son-in-law Matthew Heyns.

2017 Mayoral Excellence Awards. Not content with this huge challenge, Ann and husband, Dave also joined Rotary and immediately immersed themselves in its service ethic and the projects it was supporting in the Hermanus community. Although she admits that she has a passion for travel, she has put everything on hold at least for her presidential year while she focuses on a daunting list of projects she is aiming to implement or at least get off the ground. There is no curbing her enthusiasm as she runs through them. “In the past Rotary Hermanus has placed a strong emphasis on assisting preschool children and ECD centres, and while this is obviously critically important, I want to shift the focus to the other end of the age spectrum and particularly to those older people who live with some form of dementia, not in an institution, but out in the wider community.

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Great things never come from comfort zones and hopefully, this will be the year of achieving those great things

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“They are frequently hidden from sight and their carer – often a spouse – is isolated and suffers unimaginable and unrelenting stress. I want to start weekly Music Memory Mornings which will provide an opportunity for the carers to relax with others in a similar situation and, on the other hand, the family member living with Alzheimer’s will be able to benefit from the therapeutic effect of music as it opens doors of memory to their past lives.” She will also be liaising with the local Department of Health and hospitals to see how else Rotary can be of service, especially with regard to people dealing with mental health challenges. Another project she is anxious to promote is the involvement of the Hermanus business community in the mentorship and support of small start-up entrepreneurs. There are so many people with innovative ideas and the passion and energy to create

So watch out, Hermanus, dynamite comes in small packages and all the signs are there that this one is going to disrupt the placid life of Hermanus in many exciting ways during the year ahead. Ann Wright is a people-person, a mover and shaker and a teller of good stories. Exciting times lie ahead for our community. It is significant that she highlights the Rotary Four-Way Test as her own personal creed: “Of the things we think, say or do ■ Is it the truth? ■ Is it fair to all concerned? ■ Will it build goodwill and better friendships? ■ Will it be beneficial to all concerned?’’

If you would like to join Ann on her exciting journey, contact her on 083 3070726 or annwright@telkomsa.net

17 July 2018

Hermanus restaurants step up to the plate

ngry. Frustrated. Stressed. Fatigued. Those were just some of the emotions expressed by restaurant and coffee shop owners when I went on a walkabout on Saturday morning to find out how the businesses are coping with the latest spate of protest action that has gripped our town.

What’s Cooking RESTAURANT NEWS Hedda Mittner

Along the way I met some bewildered visitors who were desperately looking for a place to have coffee, only to find closed doors with signs declaring: Closed due to the strike / lack of staff. It took some explaining to paint a picture for them of what is happening in Hermanus and they were gob-smacked, to say the least.

supplement front-of-house staff, the main problem lies in the kitchen. “All our kitchen staff live in Zwelihle,” said Bruce, “and some of them have been with Rossi’s for over a decade. Apart from the fact that I can’t just replace these people overnight, they don’t deserve to lose their jobs due to circumstances beyond their control.”

Although Rossi’s has been closed since Wednesday, I managed to speak to owner Bruce Geddes and his very frustrated chef, Elize van Neel, who were hopeful that by pulling in all their available staff members and a few volunteers, they would be able to open the restaurant on Saturday

At the same time though, the survival of these businesses depends on their staff and retrenchments seem unavoidable. Several restaurant owners said that if the unrest continues, they would have no other choice than to recruit new staff from other areas. Needless to say, this is a

Tired but still smiling: Martin Liebenberg of Paradiso, Petri Hendriksz of Pear Tree and Char’d, Petri’s brother Jaco, and Henri Grové of Fusion and Grove’s Café. night for pizzas only. They were hoping to be open on Friday night, said Bruce, but had so many bookings that he knew they would not be able to cope. I can only imagine how agonising it must have been for him to keep the restaurant closed while being fully booked in the middle of the quiet season.

most unfortunate predicament for all the individuals concerned as well as the restaurant industry in Hermanus as a whole.

“What makes me so angry,” said Elize, “is that noone seems to be helping all those Zwelihle residents who want to work – who have to work in order to provide for their families – and are prevented from doing so. Scared and intimidated, they are stuck in Zwe like prisoners in their own homes.”

Having walked past half a dozen or so closed restaurants and coffee shops in town, I was relieved to find some sign of life on the waterfront, where I spoke to the bleary-eyed owners of Pear Tree, Char’d, Fusion and Paradiso. Petri Hendriksz said he has managed to keep his establishments open by juggling his staff and running back and forth between Pear Tree and Char’d. Both were open on Saturday, but he said Pear Tree would be closed on Saturday evening in order to keep Char’d open for evening trade.

While many restaurants have been able to

“The intimidation of our staff is the worst part of

Rudolf van der Berg of Burgundy (far right) hardly had a moment to stand still for a photo with volunteers Mike and Elaine Bayer from The Beanery and Colette Breedt.

17 July 2018 this whole crisis,” he said. Having invested a lot of effort, time and money in training his staff and offering them the opportunity of long-term employment, retrenchment is not the way he would have liked to go. “But it’s gotten to the point now where we no longer have any other option.”

het my ge-upgrade’!” quipped Anton. He added that a group of volunteers arrived at Fisherman’s Cottage on Saturday morning to offer assistance, but he told them they are doing okay and directed them to another restaurant that he knew was desperate for help. As I said, heart-warming stuff.

One of the most heart-warming consequences of the strike has been the number of volunteers that have come to the aid of our beleaguered restaurants. Most of them are family members and friends, but even complete strangers have offered their services.

At Café 1904 I was met by a very tired but defiant Johan Post and his upbeat wife Endria, who have poured heart and soul into their little restaurant since relocating from Nelspruit last year. “We are very, very tired,” said Johan, “but I will rather drop dead than close my doors.” He cooked for over 70 people on Friday evening until after midnight, all on his own in the kitchen, and was overjoyed when help arrived on Saturday morning in the form of volunteers. “We are so grateful and blessed,” said Endria.

Petri’s brother Jaco has rolled up his sleeves and installed himself in the kitchen – “I’m a dishwasher now,” he told me with a big smile. Martin Liebenberg of Paradiso said his mom was flying down from Pretoria to come and help out, and over at Fusion, owner Henri Grové said his daughter, son-in-law and his brother have all jumped in to keep their doors open for at least a few hours every day, even if they are only able

Her sentiments were echoed by Madré Malan, owner of The Eatery. “I employ nine staff members and eight of them live in Zwelihle,” she said, “so I had to close on Wednesday.” On

A clearly exhausted Johan and Endria Post of Café 1904 with one of the volunteers that arrived to help them out on Saturday, Chrizelle Damons. to offer a limited menu of dishes such as fish and chips and burgers. Crossing over to Burgundy I was also met with brave smiles from the staff, ably managed as usual by Lecretia Loff. They had several volunteers running around, including waiters, baristas and dishwashers. Here, too, the main pressure was in the kitchen, where owner Rudolf van der Berg still managed his usual broad smile even while wiping the sweat from his brow. The restaurant was packed and the food kept coming out – quite how he managed to do that I honestly don’t know! The unflappable chef and owner of Fisherman’s Cottage and The Barefoot Cook, Anton Verhoogt is another trouper who has kept going, with his dedicated staff working double and triple shifts and pulling in boyfriends, girlfriends and children to help out. Anton even approached a homeless person and asked him if he wanted a job. “Wakeford de Bruin is well known to Hermanus residents and he is now washing dishes in my kitchen alongside Abe’s son, Feroze. He even joked by saying that ‘Anton

Thursday she decided to go it alone with one staff member and the help of two volunteers. “I was cooking while Galvin Lloyd took over the scullery and Eva Cullinan, a learner at Hermanus High, became the barista. At the start of the weekend more volunteers joined us, including Emilia Knight and her 11-year-old son Oscar.” said Madré. “We were extremely busy and I don’t know how I can ever thank these generous individuals as I would not have been able to function without them. I just felt that Hermanus is such a popular destination and we have to keep our name high. My business also needs to keep going if I’m to pay the rent and cover my costs.” While there is no way of knowing how this crisis is going to unfold or what the repercussions for our restaurant industry will be in the long run, the tenacity and dedication of our business owners and the way in which the community of Hermanus has stepped up to the plate and pitched in to help each other, again illustrates why this is such a special town – and why we all want to stay here.

Madré Malan of the Eatery is extremely grateful to the volunteers who rushed to her aid, including Luca Visser, Oscar Knight and Yvette Hershaw.

17 July 2018

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Good Guide

Wednesday 18 July

who will talk about the advertising world in a presentation titled The Word Unknown. At Mollergren Park, 236 Main Road, Hermanus, every Thursday at 19.00.

Thursday 19 – Friday 20 July

■ Hermanus Bird Club: Mike Ford will be the quizmaster at Hermanus Bird Club’s annual quiz evening. The wine bar will be open from 18:00, the quiz starts at 18:30 and soup and sherry will be served midway. For more information contact Secretary Monika von Oppell on 079 138 6071. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 18:00.

Wednesday 18 July – Wednesday 5 September ■ Learn to Sew Beginner’s Course: Join Creative Notions for an 8-week course that will take you through the all the basic sewing techniques, including how to set up and thread your sewing machine, how to read and use a pattern, how to sew in straight lines, and insert various types of zips, hems, buttonholes and pockets. At R2 800 pp you’ll be part of a small group, receiving individual attention and making new friends. For more information or to book, contact Sylvia on 028 312 2182 or hermanus@creativenotions.co.za. Once a week for 8 weeks, either morning (09:00 – 12:00) or evening (18:00 – 21:00). At Creative Notions in Long Street, Hermanus.

Thursday 19 July ■ Hermanus Business Chamber AGM: Come and share your thoughts about the Hermanus Business Chamber expanding and changing its name to Overstrand Business Chamber, with representation from all business groupings in the area, in order to streamline communication with local government and authorities, especially during challenging situations. The chamber also invites nominations to serve on this Over-strand Business & Tourism forum. To secure your booking, please pay by EFT the R100 for catering costs (if you are a Chamber member, otherwise R120 pp). Account name: Hermanus Business Chamber, Standard Bank Hermanus, Branch code: 050312, Account no: 082257833. Use your company’s name as reference and e-mail proof of payment to ceo@hermanuschamber.co.za. At the Windsor Hotel, Whale Coast Conference Room, at 17:30. ■ Rotary Club of Hermanus: Visitors are welcome at Rotary’s weekly meetings. Contact Frank on 082 870 1187 to confirm by Tuesday. The guest speaker this week is Peter Southworth,

■ Handbag Workshop: Discover how to make a beautiful handbag with Creative Notions. The cost of the 2-day workshop is R350 pp plus the handbag kit at R350. You’ll be part of a small group, receiving individual attention and making new friends. For more information or to book, contact Sylvia on 028 312 2182 or hermanus@creativenotions.co.za. At Creative Notions in Long Street, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00 on both days.

Friday 20 July ■ Bhuki Café: Join the Friends of Hermanus Library for tea, coffee and eats for only R20 and help to raise funds for the library. Every Friday from 09:00 – 11:30, at Hermanus Library. ■ Kolwyntjie Teetuin: Everyone in the area is welcome to enjoy a sweet treat and tea or coffee at a nominal fee, and make new friends at the Onrus Care Centre (Dienssentrum). At the Onrus Dutch Reformed Church, every Friday between 09:30 and 11:30. ■ Rewind: Join Soul Café every Friday night and relax to the tunes of their resident band as they perform all your favourite hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. R50 pp. Call 028 313 2137 to book. At Soul Café, 181 Main Road, Hermanus, at 20:00.

Saturday 21 July

■ Hermanus parkrun: Meet for the weekly 5 km walk or run, come rain or shine. The route is dog friendly and children are most welcome. Set off from the Overstrand Training Institute (OTI) farm on Camphill Road in Hemel-enAarde Valley, at 08:00. ■ Hermanus Country Market: This local favourite is closed for the month of July as the traders enjoy their first well-earned break in 12 years. The market will be back on 4 August.

■ Hermanuspietersfontein Food & Wine Market: Where local and international foodies and wine lovers meet. You’ll find “real plates and real cutlery; real cups and real glasses; a real hangout for real people”. In the courtyard of Hermanuspietersfontein wine cellar at The Village, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Market in the Garden: Hunt for treasures at this peaceful market set among the shady trees of a beautiful garden. At St Peter’s Church in Main Road, Hermanus, from 09:00 – 13:00. ■ Fioré Country Market: Browse this new country market in Bot River for homemade crafts, books, local treats, fresh fruit and more. Stands are free and in the event of rain the market moves indoors. For enquiries, contact Debbie Randall on 028 284 9220. At Fioré Garden Centre & Coffee Shop, Bot River, from 09:00 – 14:00. ■ Botrivier Hotel Market: For hand-made crafts and tasty treats, come and browse the new weekly market in the hotel garden. New vendors are welcome; contact Erna at ernastark@outlook.com or 028 315 2582 or WhatsApp 076 708 0818 to book your stall. At the Botrivier Hotel, every Saturday, from 10:00 – 14:00. ■ Fynbos Explained: The Hermanus Botanical Society is presenting a five-week course on various topics related to fynbos. This Friday there will be two one-hour sessions: Geophytes and Orchids presented by Pat Miller from 10:00 – 11:00, followed by a tea/coffee break; and Restionaceae by Anina Lee from 11:30 – 12:30. R250 pp (R200 for BotSoc members). To book, contact Di Marais at maraisdianne@gmail.com. At Fernkloof Nature Reserve, from 10:00 – 12:30.

■ Wine, Women & Song with Cat Simoni: Hold on tight as Cat Simoni takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride with a highly personal Salut! to all her favourite winedrenched composers and artists, from Johan Strauss to Johnny Mercer, Amy Winehouse, Chrissie Hynde, Marianne Faithful and Janis Joplin. Enjoy wholesome contemporary country cooking against a backdrop of midcentury décor, eclectic art and breath-taking views of the Akkedisberg. The cover charge of R70 pp includes a welcoming glass of sherry.

To book, contact 072 198 0862 or manorhouse@ stanfordvalley.co.za. At The Manor House Restaurant @ Stanford Valley Guest Farm, from 12:45 – 14:30.

Sunday 22 July ■ OAK Concert: Overstrand Arts/Kunste presents a special concert in collaboration with the National Youth Music Foundation, featuring four very talented young South African instrumentalists who were all prize winners in various categories of the annual National Youth Music Competition. They will perform an exciting programme of works by Vivaldi, Tartini, Mozart and other composers for violin, clarinet, saxophone, and marimba, with Elna van der Merwe of Two Blondes fame on piano. Tickets are R150 pp and R60 for students. Book at Hermanus Tourism in Mitchell Street, or call 028 312 2629. For queries, contact OAK Secretary René du Plooy on 082 940 4238. In the Municipal Auditorium, at 15:30. ■ A Night of Michael Buble: A night dedicated to the great classic jazz music Michael Bublé brought back to life. The young emerging African artist, Blake Hellaby, who is making a name for himself across many musical genres, will be accompanied by Jesse Keagon Julies (vocals), Zeke Le Grange (saxophone), Sean Sanby (double bass) and Lumanyano Unity Mzi (drums). Call 028 313 2137 to book. At Soul Café, at 19:30.

Tuesday 24 July ■ Whale Festival Meeting: All business owners are welcome to attend a progress meeting hosted by the 2018 Whale Festival Committee. For more information, contact Janet on 028 312 3846. In the Banquet Hall at the Municipal Auditorium, at 16:30.

Tuesday 24 July, 31 July & 7 August

■ Basic Quilting Workshop: Ever wanted to learn how to quilt? This is your chance! Discover how to plan and cut, correctly stitch together, square, border, bind and corner, and eventually quilt a gorgeous table runner. The 3-week course costs R450 pp plus supplies for your table runner. For more information or to book, contact Sylvia on 028 312 2182 or hermanus@creativenotions .co.za. From 09:00 – 13:00 over the three Tuesdays, at Creative Notions in Long Street, Hermanus.

17 July 2018

Aida Onrus brings home top awards

ida Onrus once again featured strongly when the Aida Group recently hosted their annual National Awards function at the prestigious Pretoria Country Club. The franchise, owned by principals Deon and Aurelia Esterhuyse, won three prestigious awards:

ONRUS

1. Top Office commission – Coastal and country 2. Top Office units – Coastal and country 3. Top Overall National Agent in the Aida group – Deon Esterhuyse, who won a brand-new branded VW Polo. Deon and Aurelia have been the face of Aida Onrus for more than two decades. The cornerstone of their success is an intimate knowledge of the area, a lifetime of experience based on trust, integrity and professionalism, and unsurpassed after-sales service. A huge, loyal client base has been built up over the years, with many satisfied clients referring friends and family members to Aida Onrus. Their office in Van Blommenstein Street is bright, spacious and welcoming. Here both buyers and sellers are assured of friendly and professional service from this veteran couple

ABOVE: The Aida Onrus team at the recent Aida National Awards function in Pretoria: from left are Danie van der Westhuizen, Basie Oelofsen, Aurelia Esterhuyse and Deon Esterhuyse in front of the branded VW Polo that Deon won as Top Overall National Agent in the Aida group. RIGHT: Natalie Scholtz recently joined the Aida Onrus team and can be contacted on 082 712 8841 for all your property needs, especially those clients who wish to put their property in the Hemel-en-Aarde Estate on the market.

and their team of trained and registered agents. Onrus is their home and holds a special place in their hearts, but their area of operation includes Vermont, Fisherhaven, Sandbaai and Hemel-en-Aarde Estate. The Aida Onrus team includes property professionals Basie Oelofsen, Danie van der Westhuizen, Koos Roelofse and newcomer Natalie Scholtz, while Petro Grenz looks after the administration of the office. Natalie lives in the Hemel-en-Aarde Estate and has also been very successful in the short time since joining Aida Onrus. Deon and Aurelia would like to thank all their agents and admin staff for making Aida Onrus’ remarkable achievements possible. “We pride ourselves on making buying and selling a pleasant and trouble-free experience for our clients,” said Aurelia, who added that “all the honour goes to our power partner in heaven who blesses us with abundance”. Find Aida Onrus at 13 Van Blommenstein Street or call 028 316 3393.

17 July 2018

Changing the way we eat

efending the living world and its people requires a shift from a meatto a plant-based diet. So writes George Monbiot, conservation journalist, in an article published in The Guardian on 8 June 2018. He questions whether the human race can survive this century and the next. Can other lifeforms continue to live alongside us? Above all, he says, this depends on the way and what we eat. We can cut our consumption of everything other than food close to zero and still drive living systems to collapse – unless we change from an animal- to a plant-based diet.

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Free-range meat is more damaging still. The environmental impacts of converting grass into flesh, the paper remarks, “are immense under any production method practiced today”. This is because so much land is required to produce every grass-fed steak or lamb chop. Roughly twice as much land is used for grazing worldwide than for crop production. But grazed land provides just 1.2% of the protein we eat. While much of this pastureland cannot be used to grow crops, it can be used for “rewilding”, thus allowing the many rich ecosystems destroyed by livestock farming to recover. The land that should be devoted to the preservation of human life and the rest of the living world is used instead to produce a tiny amount of meat.

The Hermanus Botanical Society’s five-week course entitled Fynbos Explained kicked off at Fernkloof Nature Reserve on 7 July. Consisting of two one-hour talks, the course is presented on Saturday mornings from 10:00 – 12:30, with a tea/coffee break at 11:00. There are still three sessions coming up on 21 July, 18 August and 25 August. The speakers are Di Marais, retired virologist, active conservationist and aspirant botanist; Vic Hamilton-Attwell, retired zoologist, environmentalist, aspirant botanist and arachnologist; Pat Miller, local botanist; Anina Lee, retired biochemist, communications manager of Whale Coast Conservation and reluctant activist; Christopher Whitehouse, botanist and owner of Phillipskop Mountain Reserve; and Johann du Preez, plant ecologist and environmental consultant.

A paper published recently in the journal Science reveals that while some kinds of meat and dairy production are more damaging than others, all are more harmful to the living world than growing plant protein. It shows that animal farming takes up 83% of the world’s agricultural land, but delivers only 18% of our calories. A plant-based diet cuts the use of land by 76% and halves the greenhouse gases and other pollution caused by current food production. Part of the reason is the extreme inefficiency of feeding livestock on grain. Most of its nutritional value is lost when plant protein is converted to animal protein. Much of the world’s production of soya, and the accompanying destruction of forest, savannah and wetland, is driven by the wasteful practice of feeding animals on food that humans could eat.

Learn more about our fabulous fynbos

On 21 July the topics are Geophytes and Orchids presented by Pat Miller; and Restionaceae by Anina Lee. nature deceive themselves. It relies on fencing, while in nature wild herbivores roam freely, often across vast distances. It excludes or eradicates predators, crucial to the healthy functioning of all living systems. It tends to eliminate tree seedlings, ensuring the disappearance of the complex mosaics of woody vegetation found in many natural systems. The most important environmental action we can take is to reduce the amount of land used by livestock farming. This could also be a chance to break our complete dependence on artificial nitrogen fertilisers. Traditionally, animal and plant farming were integrated through the use of manure. Losses from this system led to a gradual decline in soil fertility. The development of industrial fertilisers saved us from starvation, but at a high environmental cost.

“We can neither feed the world’s growing population nor protect its living systems through animal farming. Meat and dairy are an extravagance we can no longer afford.”

Today, the link between livestock and crops has mostly been broken: crops are grown with industrial chemicals while animal slurry stacks up, unused, in stinking lagoons, wipes out rivers and creates dead zones at sea.

There is no way out of this, argues Monbiot. Those who claim that ‘holistic’ ranching mimics

“In switching to a plant-based diet, we could

make use of a neat synergy. Most protein crops – peas and beans – capture nitrogen from the air, fertilising themselves and raising nitrate levels in the soil that subsequent crops, such as cereals and oilseeds, can use.” Understandably, the livestock industry will resist all this. But they can’t force us to eat meat. The shift is ours to make. - Anina Lee Whale Coast Conservation The future may see the introduction of cultured meat. Yes, meat can be grown in the lab from stem cells. A small amount of muscle from an animal, grown in a culture medium, can produce an infinite amount of meat. No genetic engineering is used. The challenge is now to make it affordable. The world population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and demand for meat will be exponential. Producing meat (and fish) from natural sources will be unsustainable. Just think – switching to cultured meat means no animals will need to be slaughtered. That’s a big plus for me.

On 18 August the topics are Endemic and large Cape genera presented by Chris Whitehouse; and Mesembryanthemaceae by Johann du Preez. On 25 August the topics are Fabaceae and Polygalaceae; and Asteraceae, both presented by Johann du Preez. The talks will be followed by a practical workshop at 14:00. The cost for Hermanus Botanical Society members is R100 for single talks or R200 for a morning of two talks. The cost of the workshop is R200, available to the first 20 people who book. The workshop will sum up all the topics covered in the course with microscopic studies on parts of plants. For the general public, the cost is R250 per Saturday session of two talks. Booking forms are available from Di Marais at maraisdianne@gmail.com. Payment can be made to: Hermanus Botanical Society, FNB Hermanus: Acc 5247 2034 711: Branch 250655. Send proof of payment to botsochermanus@telkomsa.net and use your SURNAME and COURSE as the reference. The takings from this course will finance microscopes for BotSoc’s Research Centre.

17 July 2018

The bell did not toll for Bella

Hermanus cat used up several of her nine lives during the past week of unrest when she was trapped under burning rubble at the now destroyed Walker Bay Recycling facility in Mbeki Street. When owner Jan van Niekerk and his wife Arina were forced to abandon their business premises on Thursday afternoon after it was set alight and nothing could be done to stop the flames from slowly engulfing the buildings, they realised that they were not sure if their three office cats were still inside. Two of their cats were found on Saturday morning, but their last cat by the name of Bella was nowhere to be found and they had to accept that she may very well not have made it out in time. Bella made her appearance into their lives approximately a year ago when she had her babies on the premises. She was a completely wild cat, but soon grew to love being around people since Jan and Arina moved her inside with her babies so that she could nurse.

Jan soon grew attached to Bella (“I fell completely in love with her,” he said) and Bella, it seemed, had decided to stay. She knew exactly where to sleep to get his attention: on his keyboard while he was working, or on papers she somehow knew he would need. The two created a special bond and he was understandably very upset when she did not appear with their other two cats. On Monday morning, Jan and one of his helpers set off into what was left of the Walker Bay Recycling buildings. The rubble was still hot in some places as they searched for anything salvageable. They walked into one of the sheds to check the damage when they heard a faint meow coming from beneath the rubble. After some searching they found a miracle… Bella! She had been trapped in the burning rubble for four days, but had somehow managed to survive. Bella was rushed to Hermanus Animal Hospital where a crying Jan begged them to please save her. Within a few hours, despite suffering from smoke inhalation and sustain-

ing burns to her entire body, Bella managed to eat a meal and drink some water. Dr Sandy Waddingham said Bella was responding well to treatment and was expected to make a full recovery. “We just want to say thank you to everyone in the community. Our phones have not stopped ringing with all the calls of support from friends and even strangers,” said an emotional Jan and Arina. – Taylum Meyer ■ While the recent unrest has traumatised the entire community, we should perhaps bear in mind that it is especially the most innocent members of society – the children and animals – that are suffering the most. Who can forget the horrific image of a cat being swung on a chain by one of the protesters? The image has made local and international headlines, leading to a reward of more than R6 000 for information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the culprit.

Dr Sandy Waddinham of Hermanus Animal Hospital with Bella.

17 July 2018

Under the microblade in the name of good brows Permanent and semi-permanent make-up are fast becoming popular these days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not only for aesthetic purposes. It can be used to cover up old scars and to fix thinned eyebrows among other things. As more and more people turn to these procedures in Hermanus, TAYLUM MEYER decided to go and investigate one of the methods used to create semi-permanent eyebrows. This procedure is called microblading. 1. What is Microblading? When people think about permanent make-up for your eyebrows, they often think of thick, filled-in, tattooed lines that often have a slightly blue tinge to them. However, Microblading gives you a much more natural look. The procedure makes use of thin hair-like strokes which are used to fill in missing eyebrow hair and to change the shape of your eyebrows by using cosmetic tattoo pigments.

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The first area the technician will start with is the outer lines of the eyebrows. They may then choose to add more numbing cream to the area before continuing to fill in the rest of the brows. Everything should be clean and sterilised and the process itself takes more or less an hour to an hour and a half.

The make-up lasts one to three years depending on your skin type, age and how well you look after them in the sun. As with tattoos, permanent make-up lasts longer if you look after it. 2. What does the procedure entail? All technicians have slightly different techniques when it comes to permanent make-up, but in the end the results are much the same. We will talk about a popular way that microblading is done. If you have an idea of the shape you want, then you are more than welcome to take a photo with to your appointment. Upon arriving, the technician will clean the skin and apply a numbing cream to the area. Once it has taken affect it will be removed and the eyebrows will be drawn on with a pencil that has been disinfected before use. A piece of equipment call a Phi-Brow Ratio Divider is used to help the technician draw on the shape for your new brows. They will then use an app called PhiApp which uses a grid to check if your eyebrows are symmetrical on both sides.

Once the eyebrows are drawn on, you will be able to have a look at them to decide whether or not you are happy with how they look before the technician proceeds. Once you have confirmed that they can go ahead, the technician will open a new, sterilised blade and find the correct hue of pigment for your skin tone.

Before microblading (top) and immediately after microblading (bottom).

3. Does is hurt? In my experience it is more uncomfortable than painful, thanks to the numbing cream that is applied. Many compare it to a slightly more severe pain than a papercut, while some find the sound to be bothersome and similar to that of a craft knife going through paper. 4. What happens afterwards? Once the technician is done you will be able to look at your eyebrows again before they finish up. If you are happy, the technician will put a vita-min cream on them and give you some to take home to keep the eye-brows moist over the next few days. For the first day or so you will need to dab at them with a tissue to get rid of excess pigment and a little blood. You will need to keep them as dry as possible

except for the cream that is given to you to use. If they itch when the cuts begin to heal you may not scratch them in case you pull the pigment out. You are however allowed to pat them. After a week the pigment will start to fade and your eyebrows will begin to look more natural. It is recommended that you use sun cream on them if you are going to be in the sun a lot so that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fade too quickly. After four to eight weeks you will need to go back and see the technician so that they can fill in any areas that they may have missed or that may have faded during the healing process. This procedure is great for people who struggle to grow a lot of eyebrow hair or have damaged hair follicles and cannot grow hair there anymore. It can give them a lot of confidence back and completely change the shape of your face. We tracked down three qualified technicians in Hermanus that perform microblading. Feel free to contact them for more information. Mari du Toit (trained at PCASA) from Brow Zone Hermanus: 072 012 7388 Leanne Steinmann (trained at PCASA) from Refine Clinic: 073 147 6494 Evolve Day Spa who have a therapist that comes in twice a month for microblading (trained at Cherink): 028 312 3203 Source: The Permanent Cosmetic Association of South Africa: www.pcasa.org.za

17 July 2018

Homeless Shelter making steady progress

he Hermanus Night Shelter Association (HNSA) invites all interested parties to attend their Annual General Meeting in the United Church Hall on Wednesday 25 July at 18:00. The AGM will include the chairman’s annual report, the election of office bearers, feedback on fundraising efforts and a progress report on the building of the new night shelter in Mount Pleasant. Construction on the building site in Malva Street, between Hermanus Child Welfare and the Just Care Aftercare Centre, is proceeding at a steady pace since the ground-breaking ceremony at the beginning of April, when HNSA patron Penny Streeter turned the first sod. The first task was to clear the site and commence with manually digging trenches for the perimeter wall, as securing the site and minimising the risk of unauthorised entry and possi-

ble accidents is a legal obligation. Due to the sandy nature of the soil the trenches varied in depth from 1.7m to 2.2m. This meant that the ready-mix foundations and bricks required to reach floor level was dramatically higher, with subsequent cost implications. A month later, at the beginning of May, construction of the guardhouse commenced. This is where everyone will be screened for substance abuse prior to being admitted to the shelter. Their baggage will be stored in a secure area overnight.

The guardhouse is now almost completed, the perimeter walls as well as the front palisade fence are up, the exterior walls of the shelter have reached floor level and the foundations have been poured. Construction of the shelter building will proceed in phases as funds become available. Everyone who would like to support the HNSA’s fundraising efforts are welcome to attend the AGM next week. For more information, contact Ray Hartmann on 083 731 0678 or nightshelterhermanus@gmail.com

A memorial service for a homeless man with no known relatives who tragically passed away about six weeks ago, will be held on Friday 20 July at 10:00. A short eulogy will be delivered for John George Rutter, who died at the age of 69 years. Fondly known as ‘The Whale Man of Hermanus’, John could regularly be found in the vicinity of the cliff path. The memorial service will be held at the bench in front of the Windsor Hotel where he always sat. Anyone who knew him is welcome to attend. For more information, Jeanine Pretorius can be contacted on 071 442 0935.

TOP: An aerial view of the Hermanus Night Shelter construction site taken in May. PHOTO: Keith Imaging INSERT: The guardhouse is nearing completion and the palisade fencing has been erected.

OVERSTRAND HOSPICE 600 CLUB The lucky draw was done on 12 July by Joana Figueiredo, a visiting palliative trained nurse from Portugal who will be with Overstrand Hospice for three months. Her visit will also include other Hospices in the Western Cape and Overstrand Hospice is thrilled to have her with them. From left are Lynn Sillifant from Don Adams Auditors, Joana, and Hospice patient care manager, Sr Esmé Potgieter. This month’s winners are: 1st Joan McKee, 2nd Nelmarie Theron, 3rd Robert Hill. Should you wish to support Overstrand Hospice through the 600 Club, please contact Norma ScottTomlin on 028 312 4679 or 600admin@overstrandhospice.com

SUPPORT HAWS WITH A MYSCHOOL CARD While the Hermanus Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) had to shut down during the protest action, volunteers and staff who were able to get to the premises continued to care for our homeless animals. On Saturday four of the volunteers, all grade 11 learners from Hermanus High School, used their own initiative and arranged permission from Woolworths to take up position in front of the store to petition shoppers to sign up for a MySchool card with HAWS as beneficiary. The welfare had been provisionally accepted but needed 50 forms to qualify. The innovative girls even printed their own T-shirts, posters and forms, and between 09:00 and 14:00 on Saturday they succeeded in filling out 59 MySchool forms. This is great news for HAWS, as the more forms they have, the more money they stand to receive on a monthly basis. A big thank you goes to Melize Coetzee, Klara Skein, Kiah Saaiman and Nicole Albertyn. The girls, in turn, wish to thank Woolworths and ProCom for their support. From left are Melize, Klara, René Dewar of HAWS and Kiah. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer

17 July 2018

How to stay warm and cut power costs this winter

ecent events have demonstrated once again how uncertain and unreliable Eskom power supply is – and why SA home owners need to start making even more use of alternative technologies to keep their lights turned on and their homes warm in winter.

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consider gas heaters, or better still, a gas fireplace in the room where your family spends most of their leisure time.

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A further incentive is the rising cost of electricity, with tariff increases of up to 8% coming into effect in most municipalities this month. Unfortunately, it is still too expensive for most owners to immediately convert their whole home to a photovoltaic (solar) power system, but there are many solar-kit options available at a lower cost that will automatically come on and power essentials like fridges, freezers and burglar alarms during load-shedding, and that’s a good place to start. A generator is an alternative, but these can be problematic in terms of noise, pollution and petrol or diesel consumption, especially as fuel prices in SA continue to rise. It is also worth purchasing a few rechargeable lanterns to provide light when the power goes off, as well as power banks for your phones and computers. If your garage doors and security gates open with remote controls, you should also check that these have battery back-ups. In addition, home owners should now

seriously consider installing a solar geyser if they don’t already have one, not only so they can have a hot shower during power cuts but because it will significantly reduce their electricity bills. Estimates are that a 2 m² solar geyser cuts household electricity usage by 2 000 KwH a year – and saves 1 000 kg of coal and 2 600 L of water used to generate electricity in the process. The next item to change is the electric stove, which is also a major consumer of power in most homes. A gas stove will heat up instantaneously and will also make you independent of mains electricity for cooking – and boiling the kettle when the power goes off. Then, rather than relying on electric heaters for warmth, you might also

The most energy-efficient fireplaces (and thus the least costly to run) are of course those that burn pellets or “bricks” made from sawdust, wood waste, the husks of rice or other cereals, or recycled waste paper. These burn very cleanly and powerfully and provide a lot of heat for a relatively small amount of fuel, but they do require electricity to run so won’t work during load-shedding. When it comes to warmth, it is also very important for homes to have proper ceiling insulation. This comes in the form of thermal batts or blankets made from fibreglass, rock wool or paper that prevent heat loss, and is relatively inexpensive and easy to install. And finally, if you are trying to lower your electricity bill, it is important to remember that many little savings can add up to quite a big total. These include not leaving your electronic devices on standby, not letting your pool pump run for too long, turning an electric geyser off during the day and putting an extra blanket or duvet on your bed instead of leaving an electric blanket on all night. http://www.realnethermanus.co.za

17 July 2018

SANSA opens up whole new universe for youngsters

hursday, 12 July 2018: Neither the stormy winter weather nor the turmoil brought about by civil unrest in the Overstrand could dampen the spirits of the group of Hangklip-Kleinmond youngsters who embarked upon a tour of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA).

event of being struck by one. These methods were put into good practice during the modeling session that followed, with many coming up with remarkable designs and structures. The outing certainly sparked the interest of a good few, with one kid summing it up best with his statement, “I think I’m going to be an astronaut one day. I’ll have to work really hard at Maths and Science, but just think how amazing it would be if one of us ended up in space one day!”

The event was initiated by community member William August and sponsored by the DA Overstrand and Pick n Pay Hermanus. Excited chatter filled the air as the eager bunch signed in and were provided with an overview of the day’s activities by the three SANSA tour guides that met them on arrival.

Indeed, wouldn’t that be just wonderful and what better way to put Kleinmond on the map!

After exploring the various space science models on display, the group was directed to the ‘Class Room’ where a video clip was shown on earthquakes and the different types of engineering and construction methods that could be employed to ensure minimal damage to buildings in the

RIGHT: After an informative and interesting tour of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) a group of Kleinmond youngsters show off their lunch packs that were sponsored by Pick n Pay Hermanus.

17 July 2018

New gymnasium to be built at Hermanus Sports Club

athew Browne, owner of PROactive Fitness Gym, currently located in the Mussel Centre, has signed an extended lease with the Hermanus Sports Club and will erect a state-of-the-art Gymnasium & Wellness Centre on the Club grounds scheduled for completion during 2019. This will be the fulfillment of a dream that Mathew has had for over a decade. The seed for this ambition was planted in 2004 when Mathew was approached by Morné du Plessis to consider the establishment of a facility at the Sports Club which would embody the same footprint as the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town. Since these early discussions, Mathew has worked towards this objective. Mathew qualified with a Sports Science Degree (BA Human Movement) at the University of Durban, Westville and has been in the fitness industry for some 25 years. He cut his

Offside Tony O’Hagan

teeth in fitness training in the United Kingdom and six years later took up the position as Manager at the Eastcliff Gymnasium. During his time at Eastcliff, there was always this burning ambition to open his own fitness centre. This came to fruition seven years later when, in May 2009, Mathew opened the PROactive Fitness Gym. He started with an initial membership of 120 members which has grown to around 1000 gym enthusiasts using his facility today. The increase in membership, limited parking and Mathew's desire to fully embrace the concept of wellness led

to the necessity of establishing an expanded fitness centre. The new PROactive Fitness Gymnasium at the Hermanus Sports Club (HSC) has an area of 2 000 m² earmarked for construction. This is around double the size of the current PROactive Fitness Gym, also allowing for ample parking. The location is prime in terms of its proximity to schools and the town centre. It also provides an opportunity for the youth to participate in sports conditioning. Members of the new Gym will have an opportunity to apply for membership of the HSC and the other sporting disciplines on offer.

The concept of Wellness is prime in terms of the options that will be available to the members of PROactive Fitness Gym and these include: fitness, rehabilitation, hydro therapy, biokinetics, beauty therapy, sports nutrition, high performance and recreation. Studio classes include pilates, yoga, aerobics/step, spinning, body pump and karate. Also on the menu will be a Crossfit style functional training facility which will be run by Adriaan (‘Koekie’) Swart from Southern Forge. The new Gym will add value and quality to the HSC and to all members of the community. The precinct will be the epicentre of sport in the Overberg and a long-awaited sporting mecca. Once the Proactive Fitness Gymnasium with all the Wellness facilities is established, Mathew has the vision of an aquatic centre (swimming/water polo) and a multi- purpose indoor

hall/arena to cater for able and disabled persons. Mathew had this to say about the new venture: “It is with absolute pride and joy that we have finally reached this exciting point where we can announce the signing of our long-term lease and proceed to the design and construction phase of our master plan to move Proactive Fitness from its current location in the industrial area to the HSC terrain, as it is the ideal location for the wellness plan that we have in mind. “I wish to thank all the wise people who tirelessly supported and assisted me in reaching this point and to our many loyal gym members. I urge you all to please continue being patient with me until we finally make our next big move to the wellness venue of our dreams.” Well done, Mathew and we wish you success in your new venture.

Hermanus Squash continues to excel Midway through the Oos Boland League season our Hermanus squash teams are once again serving and smashing their way to the top. The two teams entered in the 1st league are lying atop the log in first and second positions. The third side, playing in the second league of the Oos Boland league, is also leading the way at the halfway mark. Winners of both leagues last season, the Club is on course to lift the titles again. The emergence of ‘young guns’ bodes well for the Club's future. This became evident at the recent Club Championships. Two teenagers, 16-year-old Luca Jaspica and 17-year-old Gareth Schoonraad, contested the singles final. Luca claimed victory in four sets and became the youngest champion in the Club's history. A long-time stalwart of the Club, Wayne Cooke, will be

jetting off to Charlottesville in the U.S.A to participate in the World Masters Championships scheduled for August this year. Wayne has an impressive squash record, having represented Boland at provincial level for 16 years and during the same period, he reigned supreme as the Club champion. Wayne represented South African Country Districts at the National Championships and has participated in both the South African Masters and Country District’s tournaments for over 20 years. He will enter the 55 - 60 year age group at the World Masters in America and was ranked in the top 30 at the previous World Masters in the 50 – 55 year age group. We wish Wayne well in the tournament and with his credentials, he has the ability to move up the World Masters rankings. – Tony O’Hagan

Mathew Browne in action at his gymnasium, PROactive Fitness. PHOTO: Keith Imaging

17 July 2018

Good news stories from the golf course

reetings to you all once again from a much refreshed pro! I have been off for two weeks and it’s actually amazing how it recharges the batteries – I’m ready and raring to go again! We went down to L’Agulhas for a while and it really is quiet there; returning to Hermanus the town was so busy I thought I was coming to Johannesburg. Goodbye, my adopted son Well, the big news – if you haven’t heard – is that my second in charge, Strydom van Dyk has resigned and is going back to Limpopo to assist his parents, and to help out at Kameeldoring Country Club. Strydom has been with me for five years and has been absolutely fantastic as an apprentice and then as senior professional. He has not only been an asset to me but to the entire Hermanus Golf Club, and we are all going to miss him. My job is very much a teaching job; we take in raw apprentices that can kind of play a bit of golf and guide them through the PGA qualification over 3 to 5 years. As their parents have entrusted them to me as a surrogate father to look after their most valued possession, it’s little wonder we get tremendously attached to our apprentices and when it’s time to go it’s like watching your own son or daughter spread their wings and fly the coop. To Strydom, all the very best from all of us, especially from me and my family.

The Putting Pirate Julian Shaw

Scores at a glance SATURDAY ALL TOGETHER 7 JULY Betterball medal 121 players Winners: Tony Behagg and Glyn Davies - nett 59; Runners up: Bob Ferguson and Mike Bryant - nett 61; Ball pool pays to 63; 4 two clubs. Best gross: Dave Bunn - 70. Attendance draw kindly sponsored by Glassmen Hermanus (fellow member Peter Bouwer) was won by Abby Wentzel. LADIES’ TUESDAY Betterball Stableford 34 players Winners: Sheana Bennett and Yvonne Texaria - 47 points; Runners-up: Lyndsay Henderson and June Orr - 44 points. MEN’S WEDNESDAY Individual medal / Stableford 92 players A division winner: Tony Behagg - nett 71; B division winner: Hennie Theron - nett 68; C division winner: Willie van der Hoven - 38 points counted in. Best gross and winner of monthly medal: Damian Grib - 76 gross. Only 2 two clubs.

From left are General Manager Sharon Sliegh, Strydom van Dyk and a right handsome pirate. More strike action Well, what can I say except that we at the Club have also been affected by the protests and have soldiered on without our regular staff. Our admin staff, management and marshals have been covering the Clubhouse area and I, together with my management staff and my family have been covering the shop and on competition days the range. As a matter of fact I have operated an honesty box method on the range on competition days which did raise a

couple of eyebrows and a giggle or two. We used this method quite often at smaller clubs when I was a junior and I must say that it worked like a dream. If you want to play, you simply take on the responsibility of dropping your money or tokens into the unmanned box. Congratulations to Mike and Margaret Graham I love good news stories, I guess that’s why I write for this newspaper. And here is a peach: many congratulations to Mike and Margaret who

celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this month. They renewed their vows in Mauritius and sent us a photo of this very special occasion. Well done indeed! My wife and I celebrate our 25th next year, so I can appreciate the effort Mike has put in (only kidding!). Congratulations to you both and I wish you many more. Our new siren On a more serious note, it is a wellknown fact that tragedies do happen on a golf course, whether it’s being hit by stray golf balls or struck by lightning. All golf clubs in the north and middle of South Africa have a lightning detector system and siren. Our weather pattern has changed and we have had dangerous con-

ditions, both wind and lightning, so we have purchased a loud siren to alert golfers of imminent danger. If you hear this in stormy conditions we recommend that you evacuate the course. Apologies for any inconvenience. Last pointer I want to say well done to our greens superintendent Malcolm Bromley and our General Manager Sharon Sleigh, who featured in a SuperSport inset this week where they talked about our lovely course and the upcoming Global Challenge. I know talking to the camera is a tremendously difficult thing at the best of times, but you both looked great and came across very well!

THE

NEWS

17 July 2018

MY Sport

Hermanus High rugby boys join Griekwas for Bokkieweek

our Hermanus High School boys were picked to play rugby for the Griekwas in the Bokkieweek Rugby in Naboomspruit from 2 – 6 July during the school holidays. Tanner van Tonder was selected for the U19 team while Connor van Tonder,

Hanru van Vreden and Elton Lombard were selected to play for the U14 team. The U19's played one game each day, winning two and losing two. Tanner van Tonder scored a try on the first day in his first game and the Griek-

was U19 team came 11th overall in the Bokkieweek Rugby. The U14's also played one game each day, of which they won three and lost one. The players excelled, with Elton Lombard scoring two tries and Connor van Tonder scoring one try

Tanner van Tonder from Hermanus High (back row, third from right) was selected for the U19 Griekwas team that participated in the Bokkieweek Rugby at Naboomspruit from 2 - 6 July.

on the first day of their first game. Connor also won ‘Man of the Match’ for the second day (Wednesday) when they played against Hoëveld where he scored two tries. Hanru van Vreeden received ‘Man of the Match’ for day 3 (Thursday).

Hanru was also awarded the ‘Best Griekwas forward player for 2018’. The Griekwas U14 team came third overall and were proud to receive their third place Bokkieweek Rugby trophy. Congratulations to our boys!

Hermanus High rugby boys Connor van Tonder (back row, centre), Hanru van Vreden (back row, second from right) and Elton Lombard (back row, third from left) were picked for the U14 Griekwas team that won a trophy for achieving third place in the Bokkieweek Rugby.

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